Kim Yu-Na - the greatest of all time if she wins 2014 Olympics & Worlds?

Yes

No

Don't Know

If Kim Yu-Na goes on to become a double Olympic champion and a 3 times world champion by the end of the 2013/14 season, will that make her arguably the greatest female singles figure skater of all time? My view is that it would. She will have proved that she has just as much technical ability as any female skater that has ever lived (except perhaps for Midori Ito). Her artistry is up there with most of the top artistic skaters in history. She would also have demonstrated that she has the nerve and competitive spirit to win the most important events (i.e. the Olympics, Worlds). Michelle Kwan, of course, never managed to win an Olympic title. Furthermore, she will almost have matched Katrina Witt in terms of the number of Olympic and World titles she will have won - Katarina won 4 World titles along with her two Olympic titles. Neither Kim nor Katarina can match the number of titles won by Sonja Henie, but Henie was competing in a completely different era in which the sport was totally different to what it is today. Hence, what Kim will have demonstrated is that she has it all - that she is the complete package: technical and artistic ability of the highest quality, the nerve to win the big events, and a medal haul to match that of all except Witt and Henie.

She is a wonderful skater....but best ever? Nope. I wouldn't even know how to define "best". Michelle is the best because she skated so long and so consistently won. Tara was the best because she won everything and was the youngest. Sasha was best because of her amazing musicality and artistry. Irina was the best for her athletic ability. See what I mean? Katerina Witt she was the best for her playfulness, sexiness and two OGM. Alyssa is the best at spinning.........and for her amazing re-make.

And, I can't imagine Yu-Na going to Worlds after Olys. But, who knows.

She told this worlds were important for her because this is the last time she compete at worlds. So no way she will be there. Besides, she didn't want to be at worlds after last Olympics and did awful at that competition. And she has competed in such a short period.
No skater will never be the best skater of all time. Different times has different standards, different focus on what may be important. An besides, it is a judged sport, it is always a matter of taste. Many people appreciate one skater and others, other skaters. You have to respect all the skaters, but you may like different ones.

I dont think it will make a difference either way. Most who feel she would be best ever winning in Sochi already think she is now. Most who dont think she would be even winning in Sochi wont change their mind either.

^^^ I don't think what happened in Sochi has anything to do with how one would view "Greatest Skater Ever".
It is a piece of the puzzle, sure, but I think it is more dependent on what the criteria are. Many would say Michelle is one of the greatest ever.......and she has no OGM.

I think each person have difference opinion who is the best of the greatest of all time. I can not understand why this kind of polls are created many times... Maybe she will be the best of the greatest in korean's heart... not for me.

I dont think it will make a difference either way. Most who feel she would be best ever winning in Sochi already think she is now. Most who dont think she would be even winning in Sochi wont change their mind either.

Click to expand...

Exactly. Everyone on these boards have already made up their mind on this question whether she wins in Sochi or not. We figure skating enthusiasts have favorites and biases that are set in stone.

However, I do think the world at large--the one outside of these specialty figure skating forums--will readily regard her as the greatest figure skater if she defends her title in Sochi.

Sonia Henie? Katarina Witt won two OGMs, four World championships, and six European championships so if we're just going by hardware, she'd be a strong contender. Beatrix Schuba was considered the best skater in terms of school figures. Janet Lynn is considered the best free skater of her period. Madge Syers competed and won the silver medal at Worlds when it was an all-mens event. Michelle Kwan...

I have seen a similar post in another forum. In that post "If yagudin is not the best of all time then who is??"
That post was refuted by the other posters in fast time and they refferring to other skaters dick button, john curry, etc..

Sonia Henie? Katarina Witt won two OGMs, four World championships, and six European championships so if we're just going by hardware, she'd be a strong contender. Beatrix Schuba was considered the best skater in terms of school figures. Janet Lynn is considered the best free skater of her period. Madge Syers competed and won the silver medal at Worlds when it was an all-mens event. Michelle Kwan...

The list goes on.

Click to expand...

I can understand some people saying that sonja henie is the greatest, as she did win 3 olympics. Katarina Witt won her second olympic title with 2 triple salchows and 2 triple toes in an era where the top skater should have landed 3lz and 3lo in the free skate, Katarina then returned and placed 8th at europeans and 7th at olympics. Beatrix also considered one of the best at compulsory figures, was not the best free skater of her time. Same with janet lynn, considered the best at free skate, but not in figures. Madge syers competed way too long ago to know what she was actually capable of. Michelle kwan placed 2nd and 3rd at her olympic attempts.

I know the eras are different however Yuna is

The only female skater to win olympics, world championships, four continents championships and grand prix final.
She is the current world record holder and has broken the world record 11 times
First female skater to surpass 200 points Has not finished off the podium in her entire career

Not only is she the strongest technical female skater ever, but she is also known for her mature artistry.

If she is not the greatest female skater of all time then i don't know who is.

The members of this forum have their own favorites.
It is really meaningless to vote on this forum.

but

If the poll is conducted thruout the WORLD, YUNA will come out as the CLEAR WINNER with more than 70 % of total votes.

Then... Katarina with 10 %... rest will be shared by Mao, Kristi, Midori... little girl who was Michelle's competitor(not well-known in the world...forgot her name.)

Click to expand...

delusional.

how would your theoretical "world poll" represent everyone?
it reminds me of how yuna fans freaked out when she won that stupid tiny facebook poll. I mean, are yuna fans this dense? I love her skating and think she is one of the all-time greats, possibly the greatest of all time (certainly of the past 20 years), but she also happens to be at the peak of her popularity in 2013, when the world practically lives online on twitter and facebook (and she is a superstar in her own country). If you go on facebook, katarina witt (who was huge in the 80's) has only around 20,000 fans (which is pathetic for a "celebrity" and might as well be zero), compared to Yuna's 1 million. there are minor youtube cooking channels with more than 10x the amount of fans that katarina has. but does anyone think facebook actually represents Katarina's peak of fame or notoriety? she is IRRELEVANT now. but during her heyday she was huge, probably one of the biggest global skating stars ever. most casual fans of a certain skater don't last the way fans of musicians, actors do (it's such a seasonal, specialty sport, for one)
justin bieber also has TWICE the # of facebook fans that the beatles does. does anyone actually believe that makes him bigger than the beatles or that he'll even be remembered 10 years from now, much less 30, 40 years later like the beatles? things like facebook, current online presence and popularity are often more of a measure of recent relevance than anything else.

no one denies yuna's popularity (especially her popularity within her own country), but yuna ubers seem deluded into thinking she's actually some kind of superstar outside of Korea, which is first of all CRAP, and second of all most casual fans of older skaters like katarina, peggy, dorothy, have moved on.

most of the world outside of korea and skating fans don't even know who yuna is! but keep on dreamin..

how would your theoretical "world poll" represent everyone?
it reminds me of how yuna fans freaked out when she won that stupid tiny facebook poll. I mean, are yuna fans this dense? I love her skating and think she is one of the all-time greats, possibly the greatest of all time (certainly of the past 20 years), but she also happens to be at the peak of her popularity in 2013, when the world practically lives online on twitter and facebook (and she is a superstar in her own country). If you go on facebook, katarina witt (who was huge in the 80's) has only around 20,000 fans (which is pathetic for a "celebrity" and might as well be zero), compared to Yuna's 1 million. there are minor youtube cooking channels with more than 10x the amount of fans that katarina has. but does anyone think facebook actually represents Katarina's peak of fame or notoriety? she is IRRELEVANT now. but during her heyday she was huge, probably one of the biggest global skating stars ever. most casual fans of a certain skater don't last the way fans of musicians, actors do (it's such a seasonal, specialty sport, for one)
justin bieber also has TWICE the # of facebook fans that the beatles does. does anyone actually believe that makes him bigger than the beatles or that he'll even be remembered 10 years from now, much less 30, 40 years later like the beatles? things like facebook, current online presence and popularity are often more of a measure of recent relevance than anything else.

no one denies yuna's popularity (especially her popularity within her own country), but yuna ubers seem deluded into thinking she's actually some kind of superstar outside of Korea, which is first of all CRAP, and second of all most casual fans of older skaters like katarina, peggy, dorothy, have moved on.

most of the world outside of korea and skating fans don't even know who yuna is! but keep on dreamin..

Click to expand...

Others benefit from their more recent status too, not just Kim. Are you seriously saying Michelle Kwan, Alexei Yagudin, and Evgeny Plushenko arent grossly inflated and overrated in these polls since they came in at the time skating exposure was exploding (in fact more than today) and they are more recent stars people saw as well. Based on achievements Kim with her 2nd Olympic Gold would be 3rd all time about, and Kwan is about 6th and 7th, and Yagudin and Plushenko are probably down the middle top 10 too, yet they are at the top of polls only since they are the most recent.

But she's the only two-time world champion. Katarina witt and Sonja Henie have much better career, Michelle Had a longer career than her.Kim also has weaknesses. 3F wrong edge, weak on artistry, etc.

Click to expand...

Yes, and those other skaters you mentioned had no weakness? Weak on artistry? You could say some of her programs are not very good, but weak "artistry" per se is not something you can accuse her of.

Only a two-time world champion? LOL, as if her Vancouver Olympic gold doesn't matter and potentially a SECOND OGM won't count? Witt and Henie with better careers? Sure they do, when you blatantly ignore historical context.

..I never said that yuna was the only skater whose reputation is inflated because of her recent/current status. obviously she's not a special case so it would apply to others as well. but my response was to skatinganalyst's claims, so yuna became the focus.

in fact, it repeatedly happens throughout history that the current great athlete of a sport is prematurely put at the top of "all time greatest" lists at the time they're competing (however i personally believe yuna already proved herself as an all time great not only for her technical and artistic prowess, but because of what she did for skating in her country).

since they came in at the time skating exposure was exploding (in fact more than today) and they are more recent stars people saw as well.

Click to expand...

the west isn't the be all end all, kim gets more coverage in korea than any skater in the west, ever.
anyway, this isn't about kim's status in korea..

even comparing kim to more recent retired skaters is off the mark. i still consider plushenko a current skater. kwan and yagudin definitely benefit in these polls from their relatively recent careers but you can still see some minor effects from their retirements, even if they still dominate. much of their fanbases are effectively dead. kwan has been retired since 06, yagudin even earlier in 02. plushenko's overall legacy has been buffed up dramatically ever since he returned to compete in vancouver. even if he still loses some polls to yagudin, it's a lot less extreme. a decade alone makes a difference, forget skaters from the 80's, 70's and beyond. but i would say fsuniverse has a higher percentage of old time skating fans than is typical of the bulk of the current skating fandom in general. there are newer active skating communities where 90 percent of the members are very young and only seriously got into skating in the last quad.

and you're also missing the point if you bring up the fact that certain skaters were on top during periods where their country had peak skating coverage and endorsement opportunities. some skaters were just much more popular than others at their peak regardless of achievements but due to other factors, that's a given.
my point is that an older skater's fanbase will not be well represented online compared to a current skater, period. so if skatinganalyst thinks yuna is the undisputed most popular skater of all time outside of korea based on some facebook poll, he's dreamin'

Actually even the commentators noticed the wrong edge at Worlds, so i wouldn't call it nonsense nor coincidence that it get called!

Click to expand...

In almost all the commentary did not.
I'm not sure you have seen what the country's commentary.
all of commentary I've seen, They did not noticed it. (British Euro / Universal Sports / CBC / finnish commentary / France Euro) they all did not noticed the wrong edge during a program.

Even in the british Euro, he said:"(terribly undermarked), She did 10 points better than that, it's ridiculous"